4 easy ways to promote active travel in your school

The same study revealed that half of children usually walk, scoot or cycle to school, which has remained broadly the same over the past fifteen years.

It goes without saying the benefits of a more active travel policy for schools can be truly significant. From the associated health benefits of scooting, walking or cycling to school for children which include:

• increased concentration levels in class
• tackling the obesity epidemic in children
• increased mental alertness
• increased energy

The environmental impact of changing behaviour to encourage more non-car use during school time also brings with it a host of benefits including:

• reduced congestion at the school gate
• a cleaner air environment in and around the school
• less stressed parents trying to find a car parking space
• a better relationship with local residents

We all know the many varied benefits of encouraging scooting, cycling or walking to school to and from school. We also know that actually getting people to change their behaviour is easier said than done.

With over 1 million children regularly scooting to school on one of our Micro scooters we have been helping to change behaviour for over a decade. We work closely with many councils across the UK & Ireland, within schools and with charities such as Sustrans to provide resources and support for on the ground behaviour change.

Active travel: Resources, tips and Advice

Free Micro scooters for schools and councils 

As the leading provider of scooters and scooter and cycling safety equipment we are delighted to be the only scooter company in the UK offering fleets of scooters for free to councils and schools.

We genuinely believe that scooting can change the everyday and make it our mission to ensure more children, adults and families experience the positive impact scooting can have on their daily lives.

We welcome all schools and councils to please get in touch with us to be considered for a fleet of free scooters and accessories.

There are a number of different ways your fleet of free scooters can be used to encourage more active ways to get to school. Over the years we have worked in conjunction with hundreds of schools and councils to devise schemes and initiatives to do just that. Here are some of our most successful /popular ideas to improve active travel within schools:

1. Free wheel Fridays / Wheelie Wednesdays

Select one day of the week and encourage staff, pupils and parents to walk, scoot or cycle to school. For those who must drive consider asking them to park 1 mile further away from the school and walk, scoot or cycle in. You can use your free Micro Scooters to award a pupil every week.

2. Scooter hire scheme

Some families are unsure / have never scooted before. We provide free scooters to schools in order for them to be loaned out to families for a week or so at at time (we provide children’s and adult scooters) This allows the whole family to try scooting and realise the benefits (and fun) of it themselves in their own time at their own pace. We have found that once families try scooters under their own pace they are more likely to use them during the weekday for an occasion like the school run.

3. Scoot Safe sessions / clubs

The Micro Scooters Scoot Safe scheme teaches children, adults and teachers how to use scooters safely and in a responsible fashion. There are free learning resources and teaching guides for Scoot Safe available on the our website. A lot of schools now run their own Scoot Safe clubs during PE lessons / before / after school and even on weekends. We can provide everything you need to do this.

4. Big Pedal Fortnight

Every April/May Sustrans run Big Pedal. This is the UK’s biggest inter school cycling, walking and scooting challenge. It inspires pupils, staff and parents to choose people power for their journey to school. Taking part in the competition is free and provides a solid focus to get your school community involved in the challenge. There are some great prizes to be won for the school, teachers and pupils.

Happy scooting!